"Gemanic invasions helped to break up the Roman Empire and set the stage for the development of feudal and manorial systems." (Content Statement - Feudalism & Transitions)
Historical Fiction
AVI. Crispin The Cross of Lead. Scholastic Inc, 2003. This book is about a boy in the Middle Ages who is a serf and Europe has just experienced the Black Plague. He is being wrongfully accused of a crime and has been declared a "wolf's head". This means if anyone finds him he will be killed right away. He has to flee the village he lives in to stay alive and all he takes with him is his mother's cross of lead. Grades 6-8, grade level equivalent 6.1 (Alyson)
Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. HarperCollins Publishers, 1995. A tale about a young girl that has no home or parents and is found by a midwife in a farmer's dung heap. The girl, who has no name but Brat, is soon called Beetle by Jane and she begins her career as a midwife's apprentice. Beetle watches Jane so that she can pick up the necessary skills but Jane is often mean to Beetle. Beetle messes up on an important assignment and runs away and she must decide if she is too stupid to do anything or can she be the midwife's apprentice. Grades 7-12. (Alyson)
Platt, Richard. Castle Diary:The Journal of Tobias Burgess, page. Harper Collins, 1999
In this story, the author adopts a faux-medieval style to describe the life of a 13th century page. R.L. 6.2 (Kathy M.)
Sutcliff, Rosemary. Knight's Fee. Front Street Press, 2008.
A game of chess, a brave minstrel, a kind old knight, and a friend will point a young serf to squirehood. Grades 7-12
(Kathy M.)
Information Books
Davenport, John. The Age of Feudalism. Lucent, 2007.
Beginning with the fall of the Roman Empire, this book traces the history of feudalism in Europe from the fifth century until the rise of the centralized nation-state brought it to an end. Grades 7-11. (Brooke)
Anderson, Mercedes Padrino. Feudalism and Village Life in the Middle Ages. World Almanac Library, 2006.
Presents a short study of Feudalism during the Middle Ages, and discusses lords and knights, peasants and serfs, manor houses and village life, and more. Grades 5-8. (Elyce)
Allen, Kathy. The Horrible, Miserable Middle Ages: The Disgusting Details About Life During Medieval Times, Capstone. 2010.
Geared to the reluctant reader, this book presents the not so nice side of medieval life. Allen discusses everything from chamber pots to the black plague and clearly shows that life could be pretty disgusting for people during the middle ages. The book features engaging text, illustrations, and primary source excerpts. (Rachel)
Leon, Vicki. Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages. Wiley, 1998.
This books takes a close look at the contributions of women in the Middle Ages. The back of the book states, "Look at the history books of the middle ages and you'll find nary a woman. But contrary to popular belief, women of the Middle Ages did not simply sit around on their tuffets, waiting for knights in shining armor. These are the stories of 15 such women who defied the conventions of the times." (Rachel)
Dobson, Mary. Medieval Muck (Smelly Old History). Oxford University Press, USA. 1999
"Step back into the mud and filth of a medieval village, visit the castle's deadly dungeons, and the monastery's glorious gardens. Set off on a crusade, and try to avoid the Black Death on the way." (Rachel)
Macaulay, David. Castle. Graphia, 1982.
"In the Caldecott Honor Book Castle, David Macaulay--author, illustrator, former architect and teacher--sets his sights on the creation and destiny of Lord Kevin's magnificent castle perched on a bluff overlooking the sea. Brick by brick, tool by tool, worker by worker, we witness the methodical construction of a castle through exquisitely detailed pen-and-ink illustrations." - Gail Hudson (Rachel)
Europe - Feudalism
"Gemanic invasions helped to break up the Roman Empire and set the stage for the development of feudal and manorial systems." (Content Statement - Feudalism & Transitions)Historical Fiction
AVI. Crispin The Cross of Lead. Scholastic Inc, 2003.This book is about a boy in the Middle Ages who is a serf and Europe has just experienced the Black Plague. He is being wrongfully accused of a crime and has been declared a "wolf's head". This means if anyone finds him he will be killed right away. He has to flee the village he lives in to stay alive and all he takes with him is his mother's cross of lead. Grades 6-8, grade level equivalent 6.1 (Alyson)
Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. HarperCollins Publishers, 1995.
A tale about a young girl that has no home or parents and is found by a midwife in a farmer's dung heap. The girl, who has no name but Brat, is soon called Beetle by Jane and she begins her career as a midwife's apprentice. Beetle watches Jane so that she can pick up the necessary skills but Jane is often mean to Beetle. Beetle messes up on an important assignment and runs away and she must decide if she is too stupid to do anything or can she be the midwife's apprentice. Grades 7-12. (Alyson)
Platt, Richard. Castle Diary:The Journal of Tobias Burgess, page. Harper Collins, 1999
In this story, the author adopts a faux-medieval style to describe the life of a 13th century page. R.L. 6.2 (Kathy M.)
Sutcliff, Rosemary. Knight's Fee. Front Street Press, 2008.
A game of chess, a brave minstrel, a kind old knight, and a friend will point a young serf to squirehood. Grades 7-12
(Kathy M.)
Information Books
Davenport, John. The Age of Feudalism. Lucent, 2007.Beginning with the fall of the Roman Empire, this book traces the history of feudalism in Europe from the fifth century until the rise of the centralized nation-state brought it to an end. Grades 7-11. (Brooke)
Anderson, Mercedes Padrino. Feudalism and Village Life in the Middle Ages. World Almanac Library, 2006.
Presents a short study of Feudalism during the Middle Ages, and discusses lords and knights, peasants and serfs, manor houses and village life, and more. Grades 5-8. (Elyce)
Allen, Kathy. The Horrible, Miserable Middle Ages: The Disgusting Details About Life During Medieval Times, Capstone. 2010.
Geared to the reluctant reader, this book presents the not so nice side of medieval life. Allen discusses everything from chamber pots to the black plague and clearly shows that life could be pretty disgusting for people during the middle ages. The book features engaging text, illustrations, and primary source excerpts. (Rachel)
Leon, Vicki. Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages. Wiley, 1998.
This books takes a close look at the contributions of women in the Middle Ages. The back of the book states, "Look at the history books of the middle ages and you'll find nary a woman. But contrary to popular belief, women of the Middle Ages did not simply sit around on their tuffets, waiting for knights in shining armor. These are the stories of 15 such women who defied the conventions of the times." (Rachel)
Dobson, Mary. Medieval Muck (Smelly Old History). Oxford University Press, USA. 1999
"Step back into the mud and filth of a medieval village, visit the castle's deadly dungeons, and the monastery's glorious gardens. Set off on a crusade, and try to avoid the Black Death on the way." (Rachel)
Schiltz, Laura. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. Candle Wick Press, 2007.
"22 brief monologues to be performed by students at the school where she is a librarian; here, bolstered by lively asides and unobtrusive notes, and illuminated by Byrd's (Leonardo, Beautiful Dreamer) stunningly atmospheric watercolors, they bring to life a prototypical English village in 1255. Adopting both prose and verse, the speakers, all young, range from the half-wit to the lord's daughter, who explains her privileged status as the will of God."- © Reed Business Information (Rachel)
Macaulay, David. Castle. Graphia, 1982.
"In the Caldecott Honor Book Castle, David Macaulay--author, illustrator, former architect and teacher--sets his sights on the creation and destiny of Lord Kevin's magnificent castle perched on a bluff overlooking the sea. Brick by brick, tool by tool, worker by worker, we witness the methodical construction of a castle through exquisitely detailed pen-and-ink illustrations." - Gail Hudson (Rachel)